


Flower Petals and Stars

by the_technicolor_whiscash



Category: Pride and Prejudice (2005), Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Genre: Canon Divergence, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, general romance yknow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-09-16 19:17:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16959945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_technicolor_whiscash/pseuds/the_technicolor_whiscash
Summary: Lizzy falls asleep in a field while pondering Darcy.





	Flower Petals and Stars

**Author's Note:**

> I found this deep within my google docs, i have no idea when i wrote it or why i abandoned an almost entirely finished story. anyway, i finished it, and here it is in all its short glory

Lizzy lay in the grass, staring up into the sky. A few clouds floated across the horizon, but overall, it was a beautiful day. But Lizzy was focused on something else. She simply could not get Fitzwilliam Darcy out of her head. 

The man infuriated her. She had sworn to hate him, but she just couldn't bring herself to. She discovered, upon getting to know him, that he was kind, and sweet, and handsome, and truly the perfect gentleman. In the past, she did have reason to hate him. But now? She felt quite the opposite. No, now she felt something that at first, she didn't quite understand. But now, she knew. She was in love, and there was nothing she could do to avoid it. But was he still in love with her?

Darcy had proposed to her some time ago, and she turned him down harshly. And yet, even after her dramatic rejection, he still seemed to want to get to know her. He seemed insistent on at least becoming better acquainted with her, and the two of them had spent more time together than she had ever expected. And that was when she realized she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. 

Her thoughts turned to dreams as she fell asleep in the field. Her dreams carried little of worth, as they so often did. But she didn't realize how much time had passed when she woke up, nor who would awaken her from her slumber. 

“Miss Bennet. Miss Bennet.” A figure said, gently tapping her on the shoulder. As the sleep left her eyes, she realized who it was. Mr Darcy. 

“Oh, I must've fallen asleep.” Lizzy muttered, rubbing her eyes. “What time is it?”

“It is nearly eight o’clock. Your family will be wondering where you ran off to.” 

She realized that the sun had almost set, and the sky was a deep purple twilight. “Heavens, is it really that late? I must get back. Mother will probably have something loud to say about me missing dinner.”

“Let me accompany you home. It's getting dark.”

“I can make it home on my own, Mr Darcy. It's no trouble.”

“Please, I insist.”

His face seemed so earnest, even in the darkening twilight. She observed him for a moment, her stomach twisting itself into knots. Whoever decided that that sensation felt like butterflies in one’s stomach, they were wrong. 

“Alright. If you insist, I see no reason to say no.” 

She stood up, and he held out his arm, which she gratefully took. She couldn't help but feel as though sparks were flying from where they touched. They began the slow journey back to Longbourn in relative silence. Eventually, Lizzy tried to break the ice. 

“It’s a lovely night. The sky is quite beautiful.” 

“Yes, it is. And better with good company.”

“... Why yes, I suppose you're right. Good company always improves a situation, no matter how undesirable.”

“That depends. Some situations even good company cannot save.”

“Like a sermon by Mr Collins.”

“Precisely.” 

Lizzy laughed, and she realized that Darcy was smiling. He was somehow even more handsome when he smiled. He caught her staring, and she quickly returned her eyes to the sky. 

“I wonder if it might rain soon.”

“Maybe.”

“I take it your sister is well?”

“Yes, quite. And yours?”

“Well, Jane’s over the moon, after finally getting a proposal from your friend Mr Bingley. I don't doubt you played a part in the matter?”

A pause. “Yes, I did. You wanted your sister to be happy, and I wished for Bingley to be happy. It was the only logical solution to both.”

“I must thank you for that. After Lydia’s whole debacle, I feared our family would be scorned for all eternity. But with Jane getting married, it restores much credit to our name. And again, I must thank you for what you did for Lydia. She may be a stupid girl, but she has not a malicious bone in her body. You spared her from a life of misery.”

“It was nothing, I assure you.”

Lizzy stopped walking and looked directly at Darcy. “Why do you always say that? That things are ‘nothing’ when they're clearly not? You've done fantastic things, not only for my family but for others as well, and yet you always pass it off as nothing. Why?”

Darcy seemed taken aback by her question. “I… suppose I've never quite thought about it. I just do what seems right. When I say it was nothing, I mean no offense, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“I just… I can't understand how someone could do the things that you do, and pass them off as nothing. That's all.” 

“Miss Bennet, I do what I do because I enjoy doing it. I may seem a dark and brooding person, but it does bring me pleasure to see someone happy. Especially someone like you.”

Lizzy frowned. “What do you mean, someone like me?”

“Someone who’s good, someone with morals. I don’t quite know how to put it.” He paused again. “You know how very fond of you I am, Miss Bennet. You know my… feelings towards you.”

Her stomach began to knot again. “Y-yes, I do.”

They began to walk again, with the silence renewed. Lizzy silently tried to calm herself down, to cool her nerves in hope of any further probing by Darcy. God, she just wanted to be with him all the time, to kiss him, to wake up next to him in the morning. But she couldn’t just bring up her overwhelming attraction to him in any conversation, especially since she so harshly turned down his proposal last time. 

Longbourn was coming into view. The house loomed over the horizon, much smaller than Darcy’s house, Pemberley, and still smaller than their neighbors at Netherfield, but still quite an adequately-sized abode. It stood out against the treeline, giving it an almost imposing air. 

“I hate to make you return to Netherfield at such an hour.” Lizzy said suddenly. “It’s nearly three miles there, and it's so late.”

“It’s not so bad. I like to walk at night. The silence is comforting.”

“We have a guest bedroom you could stay in. I’m sure my parents wouldn't mind. Just for the night.”

He seemed to ponder the idea for a moment. “Alright. It is getting quite late.”

When they reached the house, Lizzy called upon the servants to get the guest bedroom ready. Her mother had already gone to bed, but her father was still very much awake in his library, and had witnessed the odd couple enter. Lizzy left Darcy in the parlor and quickly headed towards the library to inform her father of the situation. 

“Father, if you don't mind, Mr Darcy will be staying the night in the guest bedroom.”

“Mr Darcy? Why on earth were you walking with Mr Darcy? I thought you two hated each other?”

“No, we don't. I merely lost track of time, and Mr Darcy offered to walk me home, so I offered to let him stay in our guest bedroom.” 

“Well, I suppose there's no turning him out now.” Mr Bennet paused. “Elizabeth, is there something going on between the two of you? Some deeper conspiracy I don't know about?”

“No, father. I assure you, I have no conspiracy that I have not yet told you.”

He narrowed his eyes. “You don't fancy him, do you?”

Lizzy felt color rush to her face. She stood there, frozen, babbling, “Uh, well, I, uh…”

“I see. Well, run along. I’m not going to stop you.”

Without saying another word, Lizzy ran out of the library. She walked down a more secluded hall in the house and pressed her head to the wall. What was she doing? What was happening? 

After a minute or so of her existential ponderings, she returned to the parlor, where Darcy sat on a couch. He seemed to be examining every aspect of the room in great detail. 

“You have a lovely home.” He muttered, upon her entering the room. 

“My father says you may stay the night. Come, let me show you to the guest bedroom.” 

She turned and led him up the stairs to the guest room. She paused in the doorway of the room and turned to him. 

“Here you are, Mr Darcy. There should be some pajamas in the drawer, as I assume you don't have any with you.”

He stood close to her, close enough for her to see all of the lines on his face, to feel each breath as it came out of his lungs. “Thank you, Miss Bennet. I apologize if I've caused you any trouble.”

“It’s been no trouble at all. It’s always nice to have guests.”

Another lull in the conversation. Lizzy was transfixed by the man’s eyes, which seemed to betray more emotion than he would’ve let on. He gazed at her with such admiration, like no one had ever looked at her before. It sent her heart into a flutter, but she tried to contain herself. It wasn't the right time to be doing this. This strange slow-dance of attraction. 

“I must be off to bed.” She whispered. “Goodnight, Mr Darcy.” 

Before she could leave, Darcy took her hand and placed a gentle kiss to her knuckles. “Goodnight, Miss Bennet.”

Lizzy felt herself turning bright red. She quickly turned around and dashed off down the hallway, not stopping until she reached her own room. She found Jane still awake, flipping through a book on her bed. 

“You’re home late.” Jane said. “Did something happen?”

“I fell asleep in a field. Mr Darcy walked me home. He’s staying in the guest room.”

“Really? Mr Darcy, of all people? Don't you hate him?”

“No, as I was just telling father, I don't hate him. In fact, I rather like him.”

“Heavens, Lizzy, don't tell me you fancy him.”

“Why is that always everyone's first guess?” She paused. “I mean, it's accurate…” 

“But Lizzy, you swore to hate him forever, and said in your own words that he would be the last man on earth to make you happy!”

“I was wrong. Everything he’s done thus far has been done in an attempt to make me happy. And he’s not exactly hard on the eyes.”

“So you really genuinely fancy him?”

“Yes. I do.”

“Have you told him?”

“Not yet. I've been waiting for the right time.”

“And when do you think that’ll be?”

“I don't know. I suppose when it happens, I'll be able to tell.”

Jane shook her head. “I never expected you to be a hopeless romantic, Lizzy. I thought that was Lydia’s job.”

Lizzy laughed. “I think it still is.” 

\---------------

The next morning, Lizzy had almost forgotten the whole issue with Mr Darcy. But she was abruptly reminded of it when she ran into him walking down to breakfast. 

“Good morning, Miss Bennet.” Mr Darcy said. 

“Good morning. I trust the room served you well enough?”

“Yes, it was adequate. Again I must thank you for letting me stay here.” 

“It was no trouble at all. I’m sure my mother will be happy to see you at breakfast.”

“I’m sure she will.”

Together they walked into the dining room, and Mrs Bennet looked at least somewhat happy to see Mr Darcy. 

“Why, Mr Darcy!” Mrs Bennet exclaimed. “How good of you to bring Lizzy home last night. My husband told me everything. I hope the room was to your liking?” 

“Yes, it was. Thank you for letting me stay here. You have a lovely home.”

“Thank you. Would you care to join us for breakfast?” 

“I would, but I have business in town, so I must say my goodbyes. Again, I thank you for accommodating me.” 

“Of course. You’re sure you don't want breakfast? We have a wonderful cook!” 

“I am sure, Mrs Bennet.”

“Well, alright. Lizzy, would you show him out?”

Lizzy nodded. “Of course. Come, this way.” 

She led him down the hall and out the door. “Here we are. Thank you for walking me home last night.” 

“It was the least I could do.” 

Once again, they stood just a step too close. “Mr Darcy…”

“Miss Bennet, please, I… I can’t handle this much longer. I love you, more than anyone I’ve ever met.”

“I know. I know you do. And I… I think I love you too. But I just need more time. Not much, I assure you. I just need time.” 

He took her hand, and her heart began to race. “I will give you as much time as you need. I would wait until the end of the universe if it meant you would be with me.”

Lizzy felt tears welling in her eyes, and she turned away so she wouldn't have to face him. 

“Did I say something to upset you? If I did, I apologize.” Darcy said, with clear concern on his voice. 

Lizzy shook her head. “No, no, of course you didn't. It’s just… I've never had someone treat me as you do. You’re always so wonderful to me, even when I might not be to you. What have I done to warrant such kindness?”

“I did not always treat you with kindness. When we first met, I called you plain. But I realized, after getting to know you, that you were amazing. Your wit, your brilliance, everything about you is simply amazing. Never had I met a woman so stunning as you. Nothing you did specifically warranted kindness, Miss Bennet. It is just who you are, that I fell in love with.”

At that moment, Lizzy realized she didn't need more time. She had spent enough of it thinking, wallowing, and wondering if he would propose again. So instead of replying, she turned towards him and placed a kiss on his lips. He seemed surprised at the sudden motion, but quickly kissed her back. It was a messy kiss, betraying the little practice either of them had had, but filled with love nonetheless. 

When they separated for air, Lizzy pressed her forehead to Darcy’s. She wanted to be as close to him as she could, to feel the warmth of his skin against hers. 

“I love you.” She whispered. “I love you, I love you.”

“I love you too.” 

“Please don't leave. Stay. At least for breakfast.” 

“I’m sorry, but I really will have to go. If I didn't have to, I would stay. But I will be back as soon as you want me to be.” He paused. “Will you marry me?”

“Of course. Of course I will.” 

Darcy smiled, wider than Lizzy had ever seen him smile. “Thank heavens. I was a little worried you might turn me down again.” 

“You knew I wouldn't.” She said, laughing. “Oh, we’re going to have to tell my parents at some point, aren't we.” 

“I suppose we will.” 

“We could do it now. And you could have breakfast with us.” 

“You’re quite insistent on this breakfast, aren't you?”

“It is the most important meal of the day.” 

“True.” 

“Come on inside. We can face my mother together.”


End file.
